Charlie Parker & His Orchestra - Night And Day

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 30:12
Size: 69.2 MB
Styles: Saxophone jazz
Year: 1956/2012
Art: Front

[3:30] 1. Temptation
[3:28] 2. Autumn In New York
[3:05] 3. Lover
[2:55] 4. Stella By Starlight
[3:09] 5. Dancing In The Dark
[2:49] 6. Night And Day
[2:33] 7. Almost Like Being In Love
[3:07] 8. I Can't Get Started
[2:35] 9. What Is This Thing Called Love
[2:57] 10. Laura

Charlie Parker, or ‘bird’ as he was known, was one of the most influential soloists in the history of jazz and his spectacular alto saxophone playing made him a legend well before his tragic death in 1955 at the age of 34. Parker has remained a major influence on musicians ever since.

Night And Day

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Jan Shapiro - Read Between The Lines

Styles: Jazz Pop
Year: 1997
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 54:16
Size: 124,7 MB
Art: Front

(4:46)  1. Read Between the Lines
(4:59)  2. Superstition
(5:24)  3. Between Hello and Goodbye
(3:48)  4. I Get Arrested
(3:54)  5. I Keep On Loving You
(4:22)  6. Its Probably Me
(5:28)  7. Why You Wanna Make Me Blue
(5:13)  8. Heartbreak Hotel
(4:14)  9. Just Like Magic
(3:36) 10. Thats Miles That Smiles
(3:57) 11. He Loves Me (I Think)
(4:30) 12. Lifetime Guarantee

They are all inherent things that are undoubtedly ingrained in our everyday approach to life. But exhibiting any one of these on cue is not so easy. Only a select few artists can effectively incorporate these elements into their work. Jan Shapiro is one of those few. Armed with a pristine, instantly recognizable vocal style all her own, she dives into every song with pure feeling, energy and emotion. It;s a natural gift, but also the result of years of training and experience. 

On her debut album, Read Between the Lines, Jan meshes element of Jazz, R&B and Pop into a refreshing contemporary jazz sound that is simultaneously entertaining and varied. From the groovy nostalgic flavor of the title track to the breathtaking ballad "Between Hello and Goodbye", destined to become a classic, all the way to the downright funky, irresistible soul of "I Get Arrested", one knows on first listen that Jan is a versatile singer with broad musical knowledge. Working with producer-arranger, 5 time Grammy winner/nominee Richard Evans, the set include songs by songwriting teams, Michael O'Hara and Denise Rich, Alex Brown and Rex Salas as well as several contributions from Grammy nominee Donna McElroy. http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/janshapiro2

Read Between The Lines

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Denis Solee With The Beegie Adair Trio - Trav'lin' Light

Styles: Piano And Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2007
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 42:39
Size: 99,3 MB
Art: Front

(3:21)  1. Route 66
(4:06)  2. Do You Know The Way To San Jose
(4:02)  3. Chicago
(2:51)  4. I Left My Heart In San Francisco
(3:21)  5. (Back Home Again In) Indiana
(3:55)  6. Stars Fell On Alabama
(3:04)  7. Let's Get Away From It All
(3:12)  8. Do You Know What It Means To Miss New Orleans
(3:50)  9. Two For The Road
(3:23) 10. Manhattan
(3:23) 11. Take The ''A'' Train
(4:05) 12. Trav'lin' Light

Tenor Sax master Denis Solee teams with legendary pianist Beegie Adair and her trio for this suberb collection of timeless classic songs. Songs include Route 66, Do You Know The Way To San Jose, Chicago, I Left My Heart In San Francisco, Back Home In Indiana, Stars Fell On Alabama, Lets Get Away From It All, Do You Know What It Means To Miss New Orleans?, Two For The Road, Manhattan, Take The "A" Train and Trav'lin' Light. http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Travlin-Light-Denis-Solee-withThe-Beegie-Adair-Trio-/160377662784

Trav'lin' Light

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Marcus Miller - Afrodeezia

Styles: Jazz Funk, World Fusion
Year: 2015
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 65:08
Size: 150,0 MB
Art: Front

(6:59)  1. Hylife
(6:48)  2. B's River
(5:45)  3. Preacher's Kid (Song For William H)
(6:48)  4. We Were There
(6:06)  5. Papa Was A Rolling Stone
(7:06)  6. I Still Believe I Hear [feat. Ben Hong]
(6:12)  7. Son Of Macbeth
(0:29)  8. Prism (Interlude)
(6:14)  9. Xtraordinary
(7:28) 10. Water Dancer
(5:09) 11. I Can't Breathe [feat. Mocean Worker]

Afrodeezia is bassist Marcus Miller's debut for Blue Note Records. Produced by the artist, the 11-track set features his core band saxophonist Alex Han, trumpeter Lee Hogans, pianist Brett Williams, guitarist Adam Agati, and drummer Louis Cato with an international list of guests. The music was inspired by Miller's work as a UNESCO artist for peace, and as a spokesperson for the Slave Route project. Afrodeezia is a masterful contemporary reflection of transcontinental rhythms and melodies that have migrated through the bodies and spirits of African slaves as they were transported to South America, the Caribbean, and the United States before refracting back across the globe in the contemporary era through jazz, R&B, and hip-hop. "Hylife," the set's first single, reflects the long reach of Ghana's popular style grafted on to contemporary jazz-funk with a host of Senegalese musicians on percussion and backing vocals. 

Lead vocals are provided courtesy of Alune Wade, the great Senegalese bassist. Despite its intense dancefloor appeal, the players' sophisticated rhythmic and harmonic interplay is ferocious. On "B's River," kora player Cherif Soumano and guest trumpeter Etienne Charles solo with Miller on gimbri, bass, and bass clarinet. "Preacher's Kid (Song for William H)" melds modern jazz and American and African gospel. The bassist performs on upright, clarinet, and piano; Cory Henry guests with a gorgeous organ solo as Lalah Hathaway delivers wordless vocals supported by Wade, Dakar's mezzo-soprano Julia Sarr, and Take 6's Alvin Chea. "We Were There" celebrates the example of George Duke and Joe Sample and how their love for Brazilian sounds transformed modern jazz. Robert Glasper's Fender Rhodes is a nice foil for Miller's dominant bassline. Hathaway's scat vocals are appended by a Brazilian chorus with percussion from Marco Lobo. The cover of "Papa Was a Rolling Stone" features guitarists Wah-Wah Watson (who appeared on the Temptations' hit), and Keb' Mo', whose blues approach arcs the lineage to the Delta. Patches Stewart adds his NOLA trumpet playing to emphasize that city's R&B groove in the heart of Northern Soul. 

Rightfully, this jam is ruled by Miller's bassline, which pays homage to the original while revealing how it influenced everything in popular music that came afterward. "Son of Macbeth" is another monster groover that re-links calypso to contemporary jazz. Just as Robert Greenridge's steel pan drums made Grover Washington, Jr. and Bill Withers' "(Just) the Two of Us" so infectious, Greenridge appears to do the same here. "I Can't Breathe," with just Miller and Mocean Worker creating a wild meld of instrumental color, back Public Enemy's Chuck D in wedding hard funk, political hip-hop, and dance music, exhorting the listener to remember that the struggle for equality is not over. Miller's wide-angle view of jazz is extended further on the glorious Afrodeezia. 

It reveals in a sophisticated, exceptionally ambitious manner the labyrinthine interconnectedness of earlier sounds and rhythms which emerged from bondage and horrific suffering to new ones that bring the world joy. ~ Thom Jurek  http://www.allmusic.com/album/afrodeezia-mw0002819254

Afrodeezia

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Dianne Reeves - Good Night, and Good Luck

Styles: Soundtrack
Year: 2005
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 51:17
Size: 118,0 MB
Art: Front

(2:44)  1. Straighten Up and Fly Right
(2:06)  2. I've Got My Eyes on You
(3:16)  3. Gotta Be This or That
(3:51)  4. Too Close for Comfort
(2:22)  5. How High the Moon
(4:31)  6. Who's Minding the Store?
(1:57)  7. You're Driving Me Crazy
(4:01)  8. Pretend
(5:28)  9. Solitude
(1:43) 10. TV is the Thing this Year
(2:38) 11. Pick Yourself Up
(3:52) 12. When I Fall In Love (Instrumental)
(4:08) 13. Into Each Life Some Rain Must Fall
(4:43) 14. There'll Be Another Spring
(3:50) 15. One for My Baby

Dianne Reeves performs on screen in the film Good Night, and Good Luck, which stars David Straithairn as legendary journalist Edward R. Murrow. Shot in black and white, the film contains numerous scenes in which the singer and her quartet deliver the jazz slowly and deliberately. Reeves, one of the world's premier jazz singers, blends tradition with a contemporary design. She bends each of these favorite songs to give them a unique appearance. Intimate in her presentation, she projects with strong emotion while squeezing every ounce of passion from her songs. Slow and graceful songs such as "How High the Moon" and "Straighten Up and Fly Right" are reshaped to fit both the film and Reeves' special caress. Recall that both of these tunes have a history of stepping up the pace and flying high with speedy feet. Reeves draws out a melody and transforms the scene into a moody affair that warms the heart. It's what she does, and nobody does it better.

Matt Catingub departs from his usual upbeat alto saxophone gaiety and works each song alongside Reeves on tenor, oozing passionately with breathless refrains. Together with piano, bass and drums, the two artists caress each song comfortably, giving the soundtrack a moody texture. There are up-tempo numbers, too. Catingub plays alto on an upbeat "You're Driving Me Crazy" and blues tenor on "TV is the Thing This Year," which both swing with a light spirit. "Pick Yourself Up," a song that could find itself integral to just about any film's plot, comes with a built-in Latin jazz arrangement. For the most part, however, singer and tenor saxophone combine with piano trio to place the viewer in a nightclub setting where smoke fills the room and everyone knows how to relax. It's what we all need after a hard day at the office, or after a long day of confrontation with Senator Joseph McCarthy and his House Un-American Activities Committee anti-Communist hearings. ~ Jim Santella  http://www.allaboutjazz.com/good-night-and-good-luck-dianne-reeves-concord-music-group-review-by-jim-santella.php

Personnel: Dianne Reeves: vocals; Matt Catingub: alto saxophone, tenor saxophone; Peter Martin: piano; Robert Hurst, Christoph Luty: bass; Jeff Hamilton: drums; Alex Acuña: percussion on "Pick Yourself Up;" Alan Estes: percussion on "Too Close for Comfort."

Good Night, and Good Luck

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John Turk - Home Grown

Size: 112,3 MB
Time: 47:59
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2014
Styles: Jazz/Blues/Funk: Hammond Organ
Art: Front

01. Somebody Luvs U (3:53)
02. He Sings To Me (Feat. Cheryl Serame) (4:44)
03. Blues For Pop (7:30)
04. Sophia (4:51)
05. Funk Dat (3:08)
06. Wade In The Water (4:25)
07. What A Friend We Have (2:33)
08. If U Want Me To Stay (6:04)
09. Days Of Wine & Roses (4:18)
10. Big P (6:27)

For those who know John Turk and his love for music, they know he is a man of few words and he chooses them carefully. Just like his communication style, his music is easily recognizable. Rich, soulful and full of history and you can never get enough of his tasty robust sound.

John grew up in a musical household and has deep roots in the church, Although they called him a musical prodigy, he was just a kid with a curiosity and passion about music with the ability to play the piano and the trumpet at the same time. So why? He said he wanted a more percussive sound and there was no one there to accompany him, so he did it himself.

JT continues to push the envelope musically. From his early days in Vallejo playing with schoolmate Sly Stone's band to recording or performing with legends such as Etta James, Jimmy McCracklin, John Lee Hooker, Charlie Musselwhite, PeeWee Ellis, Mark Isham, BB King, and more. John has been inducted into the West Coast Blues Hall of Fame and has been written up in b3 organ publications for his accomplishments. As fate would have it, John found his way to Glide Memorial Church and Reverend Cecil Williams. What started out as a temporary gig, turned into a 30 year musical ministry as the director of music leading the change band and world renowned 80 voice Glide Ensemble. Whether directing the national anthem at a major athletic event or performing for the president, John continues to rock the house with his original compositions as well as unique arrangements of well known tunes guaranteed to make even the most modest of individuals jump up and dance.

Growing up, John had the good fortune to learn the barrel house boogie from his older cousin. In the same fashion, he believes in inspiring young people to explore music using it as a form of self expression, possible path to a career in music. John leads the Gospel Choral program every other year for the ROCK program at Sir Francis Drake High School in Marin County. In addition, he teaches piano to promising artists on a very limited basis and encourages the young people at glide to try music on for size. You just might be the next Stevie Wonder, who knows? His son Miles Turk is certainly giving it his all as his most devout student on drums, piano & trumpet. You'll be hearing from him very soon.

John's latest project" Homegrown" is a very tasty b3 Hammond organ gem (released Sept. 2014). A long awaited b3 organ music project that highlights originals mixed in with well known classics all infused with that signature John Turk b3 organ swing thang. Blues, Funk, R&B, Gospel & Jazz, this project has it all. Just like a great book, it's a page turner and you won't want to miss a beat.

The crew on the CD boasts a 'who's who' list of well known artists such as Carl Lockett (Guitar), Ron E. Beck (Drums), James Levi (Percussion), Greg Crockett (Guitar/Bass) Keith Hatchell (Bass), Tim Landis (Guitar), Lorn Leber (Guitar), Cheryl Serame (Vocals) and Charles McNeil (Tenor Saxophone). All represented by well know groups such as Tower of Power, Jimmy Smith, Chuck Mangione, Herbie Hancock, Natalie Cole, The Greatful Dead, Luther Vandross, Aretha Franklin, Narada Michael Walden and more.. Bring your dancing shoes, the CD does not disappoint.

If you get an opportunity to hear the legendary John Turk live or on CD, just know you are in for a real treat.

Home Grown

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Louis Stewart, Jim Doherty - Tunes

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s

Time: 61:17

Size: 140.3 MB

Styles: Contemporary jazz

Year: 2009/2013

Art: Front

[4:57] 1. It Could Happen To You

[6:08] 2. You Go To My Head

[4:44] 3. Broadway

[7:00] 4. I Remember You

[6:04] 5. Comme Ci, Comme Ca

[4:56] 6. This Can't Be Love

[5:43] 7. Button Up Your Overcoat

[6:29] 8. I Surrender Dear

[5:29] 9. I Wished On The Moon

[5:21] 10. What Is There To Say

[4:23] 11. My Heart Stood Still

It seemed like a good idea at the time. It was a good idea at the time. Ireland's best known jazz musicians, guitarist Louis Stewart and pianist Jim Doherty have played together since the days of the famous Irish show bands in the early 1960s and have recorded together on numerous projects, but the idea to record a duo album of the jazz standards they cherish has taken fifty years to move from seed to fruition. The simply titled Tunes also represents the debut release of Daire Winston's Beechpark Records label and was recorded mostly in single takes at Beechpark Studios, Dublin.

The twelve titles are lifted lovingly from The Great American Songbook and are played at a jaunty mid-tempo for the most part, save for "I Surrender Dear" and a gorgeous and tender interpretation of "Comme Ci Comme Ca," a tune recorded by both Frank Sinatra and Ahmad Jamal. Stylistically, there's little variation throughout the album, which is maybe understandable given the limitations of the format, but such is the natural empathy between the two and so joyful the playing that the somewhat repetitive tempos and style hardly seem to matter.

The arrangements are simple enough but subtle shifts in dynamics keep things interesting; Stewart and Doherty alternate solo intros and outros, weave in and out of unison lines and pass melodies back and forth in short bursts, besides the lengthier alternate solos that pepper each composition. On "You Go to My Head," "I Remember You" and a rhythmically dancing "I Wished on The Moon" Stewart switches to acoustic guitar. Whether plugged or unplugged, Stewart shows the sort of form that induced Downbeat to label him as "one of the instrument's world class players."

Everyone will have their favorite Stewart solo here—and there are more than a few corkers to choose from—but for emotive delivery it would be hard to beat the guitarist's solo on the Harry Barris/Gordon Clifford tune "I Surrender Dear." Doherty has been Ireland's in-house pianist for visiting musicians such as saxophonist Gerry Mulligan and singer/pianist Ray Charles for decades and brings all the years of experience to bear with his intuitive comping throughout the CD. The pianist solos beautifully as well, notably on "Button up Your Overcoat" and "What Is There to Say?." On the latter, Stewart and Doherty conjure a delightful ending to their waltzing interplay.

Tunes is a relaxed, highly enjoyable session that captures two of Ireland's great jazz musicians in fine form. Hats off to Winston for backing the recording in the first place and for delivering an appropriately historic debut for the new label. Stewart and Doherty should perhaps have made their first duo recording years ago, but then again these classy performances are the results of some fine tuning about half a century's worth, no less. ~Ian Patterson

Louis Stewart: electric and acoustic guitar; Jim Doherty: piano.

Tunes

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Junior Walker & The All-Stars - The Definitive Collection

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 56:17
Size: 128.9 MB
Styles: Pop-soul, R&B
Year: 2008
Art: Front

[3:17] 1. Shotgun
[2:43] 2. Shake And Fingerpop
[2:58] 3. How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved By You)
[2:39] 4. Cleo's Mood
[2:30] 5. Cleo's Back
[2:43] 6. (I'm A) Road Runner
[2:55] 7. Pucker Up Buttercup
[2:21] 8. Do The Boomerang
[2:58] 9. Come See About Me
[2:55] 10. Hip City, Pt. 2
[2:56] 11. Home Cookin'
[2:25] 12. What Does It Take (To Win Your Love)
[3:34] 13. These Eyes
[3:32] 14. Gotta Hold On To This Feeling
[3:28] 15. Do You See My Love (For You Growing)
[3:59] 16. Take Me Girl, I'm Readyeo Promo Version]
[4:07] 17. Way Back Home
[4:08] 18. Walk In The Night

While not as revered as Motown legends Smokey Robinson, Stevie Wonder, or Marvin Gaye, vocalist/saxophonist Junior Walker recorded some of the label's grittiest R&B songs, while also delivering heartrending tracks like "What Does It Take to Win Your Love." The Definitive Collection delivers 18 essential tracks by Walker & His All-Stars, spanning six years on the Motown/Soul label. Though the songs aren't in chronological order, all of the hits from that era are represented, from the first chart entry, "Shotgun" in 1965, through the last "Do You See My Love (For You Growing)" in 1970. Also included are a few singles of equal quality that didn't get as much radio play upon initial release: "Home Cookin'," "Cleo's Mood," and "Way Back Home." While there are other, more exhaustive compilations, such as the 25-track set Ultimate Collection, this is the best concise overview of Junior Walker & the All-Stars' career, containing the most hits on a single disc. ~Al Campbell

The Definitive Collection

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Marilyn Scott - Take Me With You

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s

Time: 45:02

Size: 103.1 MB

Styles: Soul-jazz vocals

Year: 1996/2001

Art: Front

[5:14] 1. Let Me Be The One

[4:35] 2. I'm Calling You

[4:35] 3. Close Enough

[4:04] 4. Take Me With You

[4:29] 5. Bird Of Beauty

[3:14] 6. The Summer Knows

[4:18] 7. Modern Man

[5:39] 8. I'm In Love Once Again

[4:12] 9. That's The Way It Should Be

[4:36] 10. Just To See You Again

After a number of years paying her dues as a backup singer and recording for a number of indie labels with mixed success, Marilyn Scott finally brings her crisp, romantic vocal stylings to Warner Bros. on Take Me With You, a stylish potpourri of pop, soul, jazz and Brazilian influences tailor made to fit the definition of the finest in Adult Contemporary music. While Scott's powerful yet subtle and smoky voice ties all the loose threads together, the collection's strengths lie in its frolicsome diversity. Scott changes moods depending on the producer du jour. George Duke elicits cool, straightforward pop, while longtime cohorts Russell Ferrante and Jimmy Haslip forge her range from standard to hip-hop influenced jazz. Ironically, the most exciting track, a percolating Brazilian treatment of Stevie Wonder's "Bird of Beauty," is also the least commercial from a corporate marketing standpoint. Without the radio typical sheen, producer Dori Caymmi allows Scott to romp through a loping playground where even elegant Kevyn Lettau-like Portuguese is within the realm. Perhaps the reason it's taken Scott so long to break through on a higher level is the type of stunning diversity typified here. It's been worth the wait. ~Jonathan Widran

Take Me With You

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Ralph Bowen - Standard Deviation

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 51:50
Size: 118.7 MB
Styles: Saxophone jazz
Year: 2014
Art: Front

[5:32] 1. Isn't It Romantic
[5:22] 2. No Moon At All
[5:14] 3. Yesterdays
[7:28] 4. You Don't Know What Love Is
[7:08] 5. You Stepped Out Of A Dream
[7:30] 6. Spring Is Here
[8:14] 7. Dream Dancing
[5:19] 8. By Myself

Tenor saxophonist Ralph Bowen (Out Of The Blue, Horace Silver, Michel Camillo) is a highly regarded New York-based artiste and an idea man who can stand with the best of them. With his fifth solo venture for Posi- Tone Records Bowen tackles standards, and as the title intimates, he often deviates from the norm.

Jerome Kern's "Yesterdays" receives a Latin uplift, sparked by venerable pianist Bill O'Connell's topsy-turvy opening statements and bristling unison choruses with the rhythm section. From this point onward, they spring into a buoyant romp as Bowen stokes the coals via a ferocious series of choruses. He adds enough bite to impart a distinct edge, yet interweaves his melodic flair into ultra-fluid lines and improvises within the lower to medium registers. But he doesn't waste any notes and injects a few emphatic honks and squeaks into the upper-registers to raise the pitch with a stirring climatic assault while also infusing brevity into O' Connell's flavorful arrangement. Ultimately, Bowen and his first-class ensemble ruffle a few feathers and take matters into their own hands by not tendering literal readings of these rather shopworn works. (Zealously recommended...) ~Glenn Astarita

Ralph Bowen: tenor saxophone; Bill O’Connell: piano; Kenny Davis: bass; Donald Edwards: drums.

Standard Deviation

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Bobby Darin - It's You Or No One

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 33:00
Size: 75.5 MB
Styles: Pop-rock, Vocal
Year: 1963/2004
Art: Front

[3:20] 1. It's You Or No One
[2:36] 2. I Hadn't Anyone Till You
[2:06] 3. Not Mine
[2:21] 4. I Can't Believe That You're In Love With Me
[1:57] 5. I've Never Been In Love Before
[2:12] 6. All Or Nothing At All
[3:55] 7. Only One Little Item
[2:47] 8. Don't Get Around Much Anymore
[2:54] 9. How About Me
[2:44] 10. I'll Be Around
[2:40] 11. All I Do Is Cry
[3:24] 12. I Guess I'm Good For Nothing But The Blues

It's You or No One is a strange album in Bobby Darin's catalog. For some reason, the record was recorded in 1960 but held for three years before its June 1963 release. It is another concept record for Darin, with one side filled with upbeat songs arranged by Torrie Zito and the other with more moody tunes done by Bobby Scott. The "up" side contains tracks written by Johnny Mercer and Frank Loesser, while the "down" side has tunes by Duke Ellington, Irving Berlin, and Libby Holden. Like Love Swings, It's You or No One is upbeat first and melancholy "the morning after." This record was actually recorded before Love Swings but released after it, making it a follow-up to its own follow-up. Either way, the two make a great pair of conceptual love albums. Six songs from It's You or No One are unavailable on CD, and most of the ones that are can only be found on the hard-to-find Readers Digest CD box bet. Thus, It's You or No One is a must own for collectors. Standout tracks include "I Can't Believe That You're in Love With Me," "Don't Get Around Much Anymore," and "I've Never Been in Love Before" (which will excite fans of "More"). Familiar territory for Darin, but filled with moving, solid interpretations. ~JT Griffifth

It's You Or No One

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Archie Shepp - Black Ballads

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s

Time: 65:23

Size: 149.7 MB

Styles: Saxophone jazz

Year: 1992

Art: Front

[7:09] 1. Do You Know What It Means To Miss New Orleans

[5:18] 2. I Know About The Life

[4:56] 3. Georgia On My Mind

[4:39] 4. Embraceable You

[5:16] 5. Smoke Gets In Your Eyes

[5:23] 6. How Deep Is The Ocean

[8:31] 7. Lush Life

[5:06] 8. Deja Vu

[7:54] 9. Angel Eyes

[5:53] 10. All Too Soon

[5:13] 11. Ain't Misbehavin'

Bass – Wayne Dockery; Drums – Steve McRaven; Piano – Horace Parlan; Tenor Saxophone, Alto Saxophone – Archie Shepp. Recorded at Studio 44, Monster, Holland, 13 January 1992.

Tenor saxophonist Archie Shepp, who was one of the enfant terribles of the free jazz generation in the 1960s, once said, seemingly uncharacteristically, "You can hear every minute of every hour of every day of every year a player puts into practicing his horn when he plays a ballad." He was being prophetic, of course, as this date from 1992 suggests. Teamed with pianist Horace Parlan -- with whom he recorded the magnificent duet of spirituals Goin' Home -- bassist Wayne Dockery, and drummer Steve McCraven, Shepp leads the quartet through an astonishing series of ballads that are as revelatory for their understatement as they are for their musical aplomb. Shepp takes the Ben Webster approach on these 11 sides and comes off as a singer of songs (he is not singing) rather than as a saxophone player. His readings of "Angel Eyes," "All Too Soon," and "Smoke Gets in Your Eyes," and his souled-out cover of "Georgia on My Mind," are stunning for the restraint and nuance they contain. Parlan's comping slips toward fills of uncommon texture and dimensionality in the bridges of these tunes, and on Shepp's own "I Know About the Life," he reinvents the tune itself. The high point of this glorious record is Shepp's own "Déjà Vu," as it comes out of an uncommonly long "Lush Life," where the lyric of both compositions becomes a kind of recitation on the blues in stretched time. Issued on the Timeless label, this is a must-have for all Shepp fans, but more importantly, it is for all followers of the development in harmonic thinking about the ballad form in jazz. ~Thom Jurek

Black Ballads     

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José James - While You Were Sleeping

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2014
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 50:46
Size: 117,3 MB
Art: Front

(4:12)  1. Angel
(4:12)  2. U R The 1
(6:17)  3. While You Were Sleeping
(5:50)  4. Anywhere U Go
(4:01)  5. Bodhisattva
(5:12)  6. 4 Noble Truths
(4:21)  7. Dragon (Feat. Becca Stevens)
(0:56)  8. Salaam
(3:14)  9. Without U
(3:29) 10. Every Little Thing
(4:01) 11. XX
(4:53) 12. Simply Beautiful (Feat. Takuya Kuroda)

José James is one of the most fascinating singers to appear in popular music over the last decade. On five previous recordings he's tackled jazz standards, hip-hop, neo-soul, funk, and even Moroccan gnawa. He claims that While You Were Sleeping is a synthesis of everything he loves about music citing Nirvana, Frank Ocean, Radiohead, and Junip in his list. He shifts directions yet again here, this time bringing his take on rock and pop into his musical arsenal. New guitarist Brad Allen Williams adds immeasurably to this ambition, joining a veteran band that includes keyboardist Kris Bowers, bassist/vocalist Solomon Dorsey, and drummer Richard Spaven.

"Angel" is just one tune where Williams openly references the Jimi Hendrix of Band of Gypsys and Cry of Love. On "Angel," the band weaves fluid, silvery, wah-wah guitar distortion, jazzy Rhodes piano, dropped funky bass, and rolling, shuffling snares and breaks under his dark, sensual baritone. The title track (which briefly quotes from Neil Young's "Heart of Gold") weds folky psych pop to cosmic soul with a killer lead guitar break. The quiet drama in James' voice exudes elegance and earthiness. "Anywhere U Go" employs an aggressive bassline, shimmering Rhodes, and skittering, propulsive breaks against a guitar vamp that makes use of Nirvana's clipped melodic aesthetic. 

The spiritually resonant "4 Noble Truths" is introduced by strummed acoustic guitar in a minor key and a cracking snare. They are fleshed out provocatively by an expressionistic string quartet and a spiraling B-3. Becca Stevens makes one of her duet appearances on her haunting original "Dragon." Its Eastern-tinged slow groove is adorned by spacious guitar effects and elliptical keyboards atop a hushed rhythm section. Soul informs everything here. Check the stretched Madlib meets Flying Lotus beats in the sexy, tender "U R the 1." The minor-key melody in "XX" is one of James' better belly-to-belly love jams. His steamy croon is elevated by his lyrics, which are as poetically cognizant as they are carnally aware. The contrasting elements of pointillist rock guitars and warm indie electronica bump against the interlocking rhythm section. Al Green's "Simply Beautiful," features guest trumpeter and labelmate Takuya Kuroda delivering a fine solo. It's no ordinary cover. 

James recombines jazz, soul, and blues in a compelling arrangement that frames his trademark phrasing with tender yet sultry delivery. It underscores how provocative While You Were Sleeping is. With James' voice and nearly iconic harmonic sensibility as a guide, these genres flow into, rub against, and ultimately redefine one another. His creative reach, at least at this juncture appears to be boundless. ~ Thom Jurek  http://www.allmusic.com/album/while-you-were-sleeping-mw0002639674

Personnel: Jose James: vocals; Kris Bowers: organ; Solomon Dorsey: bass; Takuya Kuroda: trumpet; Brad Allen Williams: guitar; Richard Spaven: drums.

While You Were Sleeping

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John Pisano & Billy Bean - Makin' It & Take Your Pick

Styles: Guitar Jazz
Year: 1958
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 78:59
Size: 209,6 MB
Art: Front

(3:51)  1. Ill Wind
(3:41)  2. Cirrus
(3:53)  3. Indian Summer
(3:42)  4. Little Old Lady
(4:12)  5. When I Fall In Love
(2:18)  6. Our Waltz
(3:44)  7. Flute Cocktail
(3:57)  8. The Song Is You
(3:31)  9. I See Your Face Before Me
(4:21) 10. Crazy Head
(4:02) 11. Take Your Pick
(3:04) 12. Ev’ry Time We Say Goodbye
(2:18) 13. Pixie
(4:10) 14. Pastorale
(2:52) 15. Fat Feet
(3:55) 16. Dingle Bird
(2:28) 17. Billy’s Beanery
(4:43) 18. Pottsville, U.S.A
(4:07) 19. Half Breed
(4:01) 20. Memento
(3:13) 21. Motivation
(2:44) 22. Linger Awhile

Duetting beautifully in a variety of settings, West Coast based guitarists John Pisano and Billy Bean display their versatility on Makin It and Take Your Pick , two late-1950s albums they made for Decca s Mood Jazz in Hi-Fi series. Both albums were marked by some excellent supporting groups and a well-balanced, expertly played set of tunes with a predominantly jazz feeling. Standards like Ill Wind are coloured by the pastel shades of arranger Fred Katz; others, such as Linger Awhile and Little Old Lady, by the brassily forthright hand of arranger Calvin Jackson. But they also include simple blowing things like Pixie and Billy s Beanery, featuring the flowing vibes of Gene Estes, or The Song Is You, in which Pisano and Bean mesh with inventive fluency over the bass support of Hal Gaylor. 

Bill Potts, the talented Washington, D.C. arranger / composer, contributes three tunes, including the remarkable Pottsville U.S.A.. The sole departure from the jazz approach is Pastorale, by Fred Katz, a study in neo-modern, moody impressionism, where the musical values stressed are collective rather than individual. ~ Editorial Reviews  http://www.amazon.com/Johnny-Pisano-Billy-Bean-Makin/dp/B009V7C47U

Featuring: John Pisano & Billy Bean (g), Paul Moer, William Green, Chuck Gentry (fl, saxes), Abe Most (cl), Calvin Jackson, Fred Katz (p), Gene Estes (vib), Hal Gaylor, Red Callender (b), Chico Hamilton, Larry Bunker (d)

Makin' It & Take Your Pick

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Various Artists - Oh Boy (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)

Styles: Soundtrack
Year: 2013
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 37:49
Size: 87,4 MB
Art: Front

(3:34)  1. Oh Boy
(2:07)  2. Eye Candy
(1:02)  3. The Birth Of The Elephant
(1:35)  4. Taxi Driver
(3:48)  5. Teenage Dreams
(0:36)  6. Kanga and Rue
(1:52)  7. Don't Run Away
(2:51)  8. Waggling
(2:25)  9. Look At The Mess I've Made
(1:52) 10. Clickin'
(1:09) 11. Kanga and Rue (Reprise)
(2:54) 12. Woody Sugarloaf
(2:26) 13. Strangers
(1:11) 14. Look At The Mess I've Made (Reprise)
(2:55) 15. Gwisdek
(2:40) 16. Mo(u)rning
(2:43) 17. Fischer's Song

"You know the feeling that you people seem strange around you? And the longer you think about it, the more you will, it is not the people, but you're the problem yourself? " Niko is in his late twenties and has said goodbye to his studies some time ago. Since then, he lives from day to day, sleepless drifts through the streets of his city, and wonders about the people around him. Niko is a flaneur and listeners, which people tell their stories. With quiet curiosity he observed them in coping with daily life. Up to this turbulent day: His girlfriend drawing a line, his father turns him the money supply to a psychologist and certified him "emotional imbalance". 

A strange beauty named Julika confronted him with the wounds of the shared past, his new neighbor showered him with liquor and meatballs his heart out and around the city, there seems to be no "normal" coffee more. If Niko after that day really leave his "comfort zone" and change his life? He gets at the end maybe Julika? And even the long-awaited cup of coffee? Oh Boy is the ironic portrait of a young man and the city in which he lives Berlin. In haunting black-and-white aesthetic Oh Boy oscillates between melancholy and humor, and displays the search of the protagonist for his place in the world where everything is actually possible. ~ Translate by google  https://www.jpc.de/jpcng/poprock/detail/-/art/Cherilyn-OST-The-Major-Minors-Macneil-Oh-Boy/hnum/2520346

Oh Boy (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)

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Marica Hiraga - Sings With The Duke Ellington Orchestra

Size: 101,5 MB
Time: 43:05
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2012
Styles: Jazz Vocals
Art: Front

01. I'm Beginning To See The Light (2:17)
02. Drop Me Off In Harlem (3:03)
03. It Don't Mean A Thing If It Ain't Got That Swing (2:40)
04. In My Solitude (4:17)
05. Caravan (4:02)
06. In A Mellow Tune (3:13)
07. I Didn't Know About You (4:48)
08. I'm Gonna Go Fishin' (4:11)
09. In A Sentimental Mood (4:05)
10. Just A Settin' And A Rockin' (3:26)
11. Take The A Train (2:50)
12. Dance In Harlem (4:06)

Marica Hiraga is Japan’s leading jazz vocalist with a rich talent both in expression and technique. Her professional career began in 1981 after she was awarded the Asia Music Award in Hong Kong. She has acquired her understanding and feeling of jazz by performing and traveling between Tokyo and New York.

Her first Jazz standard album, My Shining Hour, was released in 2001, and won the Best Singing Techniques award at the 19th Japan Jazz Vocal Award hosted by Jazz World magazine in 2003. Her 2nd album, Faith, released in 2006, was recorded with Eric Alexander and Harold Mabern Trio. Faith was selected as “ Swing Journal Gold Disc” and became her breakthrough album.

She then worked with the legendary jazz combo, the Manhattan Jazz Quintet, lead by David Matthews, on 3rd album, Close to Bacharach, which was highly praised as the new Bacharach standards. The album was again selected as “ Swing Journal Gold Disc” and she received the Best Vocal award at the 41st Jazz Disc Award, hosted by Swing Journal, one of the most prestigious awards for jazz music in Japan.

In May 2008, she released a collection of mature love songs as 4th album, More Romance, and in November, she released 5th album, BATUCADA-Jazz‘ n’ Bossa, on which she worked with many prominent musicians including the genius Gil Goldstein, the leading AOR musician Michael Franks, Marcos Valle, Phil Woods, Kenny Garrett and Randy Brecker, as a celebration album for bossa nova’s 50th anniversary. BATUCADA was again selected as“ Swing Journal Gold Disc” and won her the Best Vocal award at the 42nd Jazz Disc Award.

Sings With The Duke Ellington Orchestra

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Rex Richardson - Pandora's Pocket

Size: 165,4 MB
Time: 71:30
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 1997
Styles: Jazz: Trumpet Jazz
Art: Front

01. Pandora's Pocket (8:22)
02. Murray's Mead (6:32)
03. One Finger Snap (6:35)
04. Allegations & Recantations (9:02)
05. While I Wait (6:48)
06. Mobius (7:30)
07. Pasiphae's Spawn (2:03)
08. Monk's Dream (7:54)
09. The Claim Of The Ideal (9:52)
10. Hymn To The Mother Of The World (6:49)

Personnel: Rex Richardson (trumpet, flugelhorn); Kurt Elling (vocals); Michael Pendowski (soprano saxophone, tenor saxophone); Rudresh Mahanthappa (alto saxophone); Paul McKee (trombone); Sam Struyk (piano); Paul Wertico (drums).

Renowned international trumpeter Rex Richardson is a Yamaha Performing Artist and a veteran of the acclaimed chamber group Rhythm & Brass, the Brass Band of Battle Creek, and jazz legend Joe Henderson’s Quintet and Sextet. He teaches trumpet, jazz improvisation and chamber music at Virginia Commonwealth University and hold the title of International Tutor in Trumpet at the Royal Northern College of Music in England. He tours throughout the year as a clinician, recitalist, and soloist with orchestras, wind ensembles, big bands, and brass bands.

Pandora's Pocket

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Randa - Subtle Thrills

Size: 106,9 MB
Time: 46:03
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2015
Styles: Jazz Vocals
Art: Front

01. Softly As In The Morning (3:55)
02. Whatever Lola Wants (3:11)
03. Insensatez (How Insensitive) (3:44)
04. La Belle Dame Sans Regrets (3:13)
05. Get Out Of Town (3:46)
06. Fragile (4:40)
07. Why Don't You Do Right (3:23)
08. So In Love (5:25)
09. All The Things You Are (3:54)
10. Trust In Me (6:40)
11. Blue Moon (4:07)

Following collaboration with the Dizzy Gillespie All Star Big Band, during which Randa sang in trio before joining the Big Band, the idea of this trio recording emerged between her, pianist Cyrus Chestnut, drummer Lewis Nash and Bassist John Lee.

The recording session was engineered by John Lee at his own Alleycat Studio in New Jersey, whilst Dezron Douglas replaced him on double bass. Fellow talented guests Antonio Hart, Freddie Hendrix and Roger Squitero joined to drop wonderful solos on a few tracks.

Randa had previously worked with Cyrus Chestnut, recording the album Moon Breeze in Montreal in 2011. The duo shared ideas and reached arrangements signed by the talented pianist that enhanced Randa’s subtle, velvety voice. A much thrilling session ensued that offered acoustic "Subtle Thrills," as Randa described it when leaving the studio!

Subtle Thrills

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Frank Catalano & Jimmy Chamberlin - God's Gonna Cut You Down

Size: 100,4 MB
Time: 40:55
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2015
Styles: Jazz
Art: Front

01. Shakin' (6:11)
02. Karma (5:02)
03. Expressions (8:36)
04. Tuna Town (7:43)
05. God's Gonna Cut You Down (5:56)
06. Big Al's Theme And Soul Dream (7:25)

Personnel:
Frank Catalano - Tenor Sax
Jimmy Chamberlin - Drums
Demos Petropoulos - Hammond B3 Organ
Scott Hesse - Guitar
Eddie Roberts - Guitar (Track 1, 6)
Mike Dillon - Vibes (Track 5, 6)

Frank Catalano has quickly emerged as one of the leading saxophone players in Chicago. In addition to touring with artists ranging from Tony Bennett to Ministry, Catalano has performed and/or recorded with Louis Bellson, Charles Earland, Clark Terry, Johnny "Hammond" Smith, Kenny Loggins, Jimmy McGriff, Randy Brecker, and Arturo Sandoval. Catalano has increasingly drawn attention for his own talents. His debut solo album, Cut It Out, released in February 1988, was included on lists of the year's best mainstream albums compiled by Jazz Times, Los Angeles Weekly, and the Chicago Tribune. His second effort, Pins 'n' Needles, featured accompaniment by trumpet player Randy Brecker, trumpet and reeds player Ira Sullivan, drummer Paul Weilico, pianist Larry Novak, and bassist Eric Hochberg. He continues to perform with his own quartet, featuring guitarist Kirk Hunter, Hammond B-3 organist Vijay Tellis-Nayak, and drummer Don Leali, as well as with John Burnett and His Orchestra and Lenny King's Chicago Metropolitan Jazz Orchestra. Playing tenor saxophone since the age of eight, Catalano sharpened his playing skills as a student at DePaul University and launched his professional music career while still a teenager. After playing with jazz drummer Louis Bellson and avant-garde jazz organist Charles Earland in 1991, he accepted an invitation to join pop vocalist Tony Bennett's group.

God's Gonna Cut You Down

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Gordon Haskell - Harry's Bar / One Day Soon

Album: Harry's Bar
Size: 122,4 MB
Time: 53:28
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2002
Styles: Jazz/Pop/Rock/Folk Vocals
Art: Front

01. How Wonderful You Are (3:54)
02. All The Time In The World (4:57)
03. Voodoo Dance (3:54)
04. Freeway To Her Dreams (2:44)
05. Sunshine In The Night (4:30)
06. Al Capone (5:07)
07. Feelin' Loose (4:46)
08. There Goes My Heart Again (4:26)
09. Roll With It (5:45)
10. Someone I Knew (4:57)
11. A Little Help From You (3:35)
12. All In The Scheme Of Things (4:48)

Harry's Bar was an enormous breakthrough album for Gordon Haskell, thanks to the unexpected U.K. success of the single "How Wonderful You Are." European audiences were so charmed by that catchy little ballad that the virtually unknown industry veteran suddenly hit the British Top Ten, attracted major label attention and joined Ani DiFranco and David Gray among the happy few Internet-era indie heroes to have conquered the pop world with self-released records. It's particularly astounding that after ten years of solo recordings, it was this threadbare folk-jazz record -- made for less than £200! -- that made Haskell an overnight household name in the U.K. Yet it is that very simplicity that makes "How Wonderful You Are" so irresistible. The arrangement consists of an elementary acoustic guitar chord progression played at a slow-dance tempo and backed gently with a little bass and saxophone. The lyrics are simplistic to a fault, and the melody is no more complicated. The song would probably have been thoroughly unremarkable if it weren't for the compellingly authentic cool of Haskell's vocals. Relaxed, self-assured, and smooth as silk, Haskell dresses like Johnny Cash and sings like a perfectly modulated blend of Kenny Rogers, Marvin Gaye, and (somehow) Nina Simone...all without the slightest hint of affectation. Throughout Harry's Bar, Haskell combines organic folk instrumentation with mellow jazz fluidity and a hint of R&B sass. It's bewitching as long as he keeps it simple. Whenever he gets more energetic ("Voodoo Dance") or emotionally expansive ("There Goes My Heart Again"), the spell is broken and the limitations of his often clichéd songwriting become clear. But so long as he keeps it real, Haskell keeps you hooked. ~Review by Evan Cater

Harry's Bar

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Album: One Day Soon
Size: 102,1 MB
Time: 41:26
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2010
Styles: Jazz/Pop/Rock/Folk Vocals
Art: Front

01. The Fools Of Yesterday (3:47)
02. Some Sins (I Should've Known By Now) (4:25)
03. Forevermore (4:19)
04. The Ways Of The World (4:20)
05. One Day Soon (3:37)
06. Wounded Tigers (5:04)
07. Good Man Down (4:32)
08. Sunshine Shoes (4:16)
09. Happy To Be (3:05)
10. The Fear Is Gone (3:56)

Gordon Haskell is usually thought of as a footnote in the history of King Crimson -- the only lead singer in the group's long list of personnel who never played a single live date with the band, though he was with them long enough to cut most of an album (Lizard) and get one performance ("Cadence and Cascade") onto its predecessor. Otherwise, he's been an enigma even to many Crimson fans.

Haskell's history with Robert Fripp goes back to the days they spent together in the mid-'60s as members of the League of Gentlemen, a band that backed various American R&B stars on tour and cut a couple of singles. Haskell was also a member of a Liverpool band called the Quotations, formed by ex-Big Three bassist Johnny Gustafson (before he joined the Merseybeats), who recorded for English Decca ("Alright Baby" b/w "Love You All Over Again") in 1964. His main group affiliation for most of the mid-'60s was the Fleur de Lys, a somewhat lightweight psychedelic band who recorded at least once under the pseudonym of Shyster. Haskell passed through the lineups of Rupert's People and Cupid's Inspiration, and, as a member of the Fleur de Lys, also played on records by Bill Kimber, John Bromley, Sharon Tandy, and Terry Durham. By the end of the '60s, he was a solo act, trying to establish himself as a singer/songwriter, and released a pair of singles in 1969 and 1970, "Boat Trip" and "Oh-La-Di-Doo-Da-Day," and one LP, Sail In My Boat, all for British CBS.

In 1970, as his former League of Gentlemen bandmate Robert Fripp was struggling to keep his current group, King Crimson, viable in some form and complete a second album, Haskell joined the band as successor to bassist/singer Greg Lake, who was leaving the lineup to join Emerson, Lake & Palmer. After singing on one song for that album, In the Wake of Poseidon, he joined a new Crimson lineup and recorded most of the next album, Lizard. As was often the case with Crimson lineups in those days, however, Haskell didn't last -- he and other members of the core band had left by the time Lizard was completed and released late in 1970, and he never worked live with the band.

Haskell cut a solo album, It Is And It Isn't, during 1973, and worked with such artists as Tim Hardin, Alvin Lee, and Van Morrison. His solo work tends to be in a folk-like, singer/songwriter vein, reminiscent of Gordon Lightfoot with something of a progressive rock edge and more humor, some of it very sardonic. Based in southern England at the end of the '90s, he concertized regularly in the Hampshire and Dorset areas, and he continued his recording career into the '90s with his albums Butterfly in China and Hambledon Hill. In 1993, he also teamed up with Mike Wedgewood (ex-Curved Air and Caravan) to tour Scandinavia. In the late '90s, Voiceprint Records' Blueprint label reissued Haskell's solo albums of the '60s and '70s on compact disc. The massively popular "How Beautiful You Are" hit British airwaves in the winter of 2001, announcing Haskell's comeback to music. Harry's Bar followed the next year, fully bringing him back into the public spotlight after years of inactivity. He later moved to a Greek island and proclaimed himself to be Greek, releasing the 2010 album One Day Soon under his newly adopted moniker of Gordon Haskell Hionides.

One Day Soon

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